Antifriction drawer-support



(No Model.)

H. .KQ TURNER'.

ANTIPRICTION DRAWER SUPPURT.

Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEricE.

HENRY K. TURNER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ANTIFRICTION DRAWER-SUPFOR'T'.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 533,622, dated February 5, 1895. Application led May 25, 1894. Serial No. 512,468. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY K. TURNER, of Boston, county of Suolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Antifriction Drawerupports, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The present invention relates to drawers for cabinets, bureaus, or similar cases, and is embodied in a combined anti-friction device and supporting extension for the same, the said device being arranged to move outward with the drawer when opened.

The invention consists mainly in the combination of the drawer provided with a laterally projecting track and the casing provided with a track below that on the drawer, of an anti-friction supporting extension consisting of a series of wheels or rollers mounted in a suitable frame interposed between said tracks and another track in the casing engaging with said anti-friction extension from above, to prevent its rear end from rising when said extension and the drawer supported thereon is moved forward from the casing.

Sliding supports for drawers have been heretofore constructed and so arranged with relation to the drawer and the case therefor, that the drawer when opened first travels a certain distance upon the said sliding support and then engages therewith so that the slide travels with the drawer until the latter is in its open position. By the device embodying this invention, however, the supporting extension is notpositively engaged by the drawer during any part of its movement, the movement of the drawer itself in opening rotating the wheels or rollers which form the support and causing them to move through half the distance which the drawer travels, carrying with them the frame or cage by which they are connected together so that when the drawer is fully opened the said frame Aand wheels extend far enough beyond the opening of the case to give the drawer the desired support while the operation thereof at the same time adords an eicient anti-friction bearing for the said drawer, causing it to op'x erate easily and preventing it from binding or sticking.

The above described anti-friction devices ot which there are preferably two, one at each side of the drawer, are so arranged with relation to the case that they are held substantially horizontal when drawn out therefrom by the movement of the drawer, this being preferably accomplished by means of an upward extension at the inner end of said de vices, adapted to engage with the upper inner surface of the case each of the said extensions beingprovided if desired with a wheeler roller similar to those which form the main part of the device.

Figure l is a side elevation of the drawer and case having a portion of the outer wall of' the case broken away to show the side of the drawer and the anti-friction device therefor, and Fig. 2 is a vertical section on line as, Fig. l.

The drawer d, consists of the ordinary rectangular box open at the top and made of such size and shape as to enter the case in the usual Way. The opening in the case, however, is preferably somewhat wider than the width of the drawer so that the anti-friction device, which consists of wheels or rollers c mounted .in a longitudinal frame or cage c2 which connects them together, may be contained between the inner surfaces ofthe sides of the case and the outer surfaces of the sides of the drawer, two of such devices being provided, one at each side of the drawer. A single such device might, however, be employed by somewhat modifying the construction. The said cage c2 maybe of wood or preferably cast metal while the wheels c which are connected together hy it may be made of any suitable material, wood ber being desirable on account of the readiness with which it may be molded into wheels and also because wheels made of this material will run noiselessly upon their tracks. The peripheries of the wheels c which form the supporting base of the anti-friction device c c2 may rest directly upon the lower surface ot' the case, which thus forms a track therefor, or the said case may be provided, as shown, with special tracks h2 consisting preferably of strips ot' wood screwed or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the case b. At the end of the cage c2 is an upward extension c3 also provided with a wheel or roller dl the periphery IOO of said wheel engaging the upper inner surface of the case b or an extension as b3 therefrom, which constitutes a track which in conjunction with the roller c4, prevents the rear 5 part of the anti-friction device from rising and thus prevents the outer end of the antifriction device from tipping down when by the opening of the drawer it is moved forward out of the case as indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1.

The drawer a is supported upon the peripheries of the wheels c in any suitable way, the preferable construction however being shown embodied in the addition of a track CL2 consisting of an extension from the outer side of the drawer such as a stripof wood secured thereto, the lower surface of said track resting on the peripheries of the wheels which thus support the drawer. The device c, c2, is thus laterally guided and held in position between the outer wall of the drawer and the inner wall of the case so that no additional guide or support therefor is needed, the said device c, c2, being simply placed in position upon the track b2 and the drawer inserted, the parts thus being brought together in their operative positions. By the use of the special track portions h2 devices c, c2, of a standard size may be used for drawers of diferent sizes by simply adjusting the position cf the said track b2 with relation to the inner surface of the side of the case, it being possible also by raising the said track somewhat with relation to the said wall to compensate for wear due to repeated use of the device.

It is obvious that the tracks a2 may be secured to the sides of the drawer in the proper position to support the drawer in the desired plane.

A flat extension or flange c5 may, if desired, be secured to or cast integral with the frame c2 of the anti-friction device, the said iiange extending up into a recess or groove a3 at the lower inner side of the track 0l.2 thus affording an additional device or guide for the support c, c2. This however, is not essential, since the width of the space between the outer wall of the drawer and the inner wall of the case is preferably made of such thickness as to conform to the thickness of the device c, c2, thus tending to keep it in its best operative position.

When the drawer is pulled out to open the same to theposition indicated in dotted lines Fig. 1, it moves freely along the peripheries of the wheels c having a rolling contact therewith, the said wheels at the same time rotating and traveling upon the supporting portion of the case, the said wheels moving with relation to the said case through a distance equal to the distance through which the drawer moves with relation to the wheels, so

that the anti-friction device itself travels through a distance equal to half the distance 6 5 traveled by the drawer, the outer end of the said device thus being extended out from the case as shown and forming a supporting extension which prevents the drawer from sagging. The opening in the front of the case is somewhat wider than the width of the drawer itself so as to admit of the devices, when one is used for each side of the drawer, passing out therefrom, the said opening however being closed when the drawer is closed, by the front wall of the said drawer which is made of such size and shape as to extend somewhat beyond the side walls of the drawer and fit the entire opening in the case.

While the specific construction herein described is for many reasons desirable it is obvious that modifications in the details of construction might be made without departing from the invention.

I claimM t 1. The combination of the drawer provided with a laterally projecting track; and the casing provided with a track below that on the drawer, with the anti-friction supporting extension consisting of a series of wheels or rollers mounted in a longitudinal frame and interposed between said tracks which engage with the peripheries of said rollers above and below, and a track in the casing engaging with a roller of said anti-friction device from above to prevent the rear portion thereof from rising when the 4draweris moved forward from the case, substantially as and for the purpose described. 1

2. The combination of a drawer provided with a laterally projecting track as a2 having a groove a3, with the casing and track therein and anti-friction device consisting of a series of wheels and supporting frame therefor provided with a flange to enter said groove in the track, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination with a drawer and case, of a combined anti-friction device and supporting extension consisting of a row of wheels or rollers mounted in a longitudinal frame eX- tending along the side of the drawer, an upward extension at the inner end of said frame adapted to engage the upper inner surface of the case and tracks upon the drawer and case engaging the peripheries of said wheels, above and below respectively substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY K. TURNER.

Witnesses:

M. E. HILL, I-I. J. LIvnRMoRn. 

